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| Tidal surge hits east UK coastal towns after storm | Tidal surge hits east UK coastal towns after storm |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A tidal surge has hit coastal towns on the east of Britain after thousands of people were evacuated from their homes. | A tidal surge has hit coastal towns on the east of Britain after thousands of people were evacuated from their homes. |
| The North Sea surge, predicted to be the worst for 60 years, reached north Norfolk in the evening and made its way south through the night. | The North Sea surge, predicted to be the worst for 60 years, reached north Norfolk in the evening and made its way south through the night. |
| Flood waters have receding in many areas but there will be further high tides later on Friday. | Flood waters have receding in many areas but there will be further high tides later on Friday. |
| Scotland is facing snow alerts after a fierce storm earlier battered the UK, claiming two lives. | Scotland is facing snow alerts after a fierce storm earlier battered the UK, claiming two lives. |
| Environment Secretary Owen Paterson chaired a meeting of the government's Cobra committee to discuss the floods. | Environment Secretary Owen Paterson chaired a meeting of the government's Cobra committee to discuss the floods. |
| Speaking afterwards, he said the situation is "not over" and asked the public to follow advice from police and other authorities. | |
| "Conditions like this only occur in some places every 500 years, so it's good that over 800,000 properties were protected by our flood defences, and I would really pay tribute to all of those who have been working through the night," he added. | |
| The Environment Agency, which covers England and Wales, has dozens of severe flood warnings in place. | The Environment Agency, which covers England and Wales, has dozens of severe flood warnings in place. |
| Many of the severe warnings - which mean "danger to life" - relate to areas in the east of England, where there are also about 200 lower-level warnings and alerts. | Many of the severe warnings - which mean "danger to life" - relate to areas in the east of England, where there are also about 200 lower-level warnings and alerts. |
| The agency said some flood defences had been breached but repairs were under way. | The agency said some flood defences had been breached but repairs were under way. |
| A second tidal surge, which the agency said should be 1m (3ft) lower, has already passed Scotland and the far north of England and should reach Great Yarmouth at about 11:00 GMT and London at 15:00. | A second tidal surge, which the agency said should be 1m (3ft) lower, has already passed Scotland and the far north of England and should reach Great Yarmouth at about 11:00 GMT and London at 15:00. |
| Collapsed properties | Collapsed properties |
| Rescue teams have been working through the night in many areas. | Rescue teams have been working through the night in many areas. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| Transport connections are expected to return to normal in much of Scotland in the wake of the storm. | Transport connections are expected to return to normal in much of Scotland in the wake of the storm. |
| Trains across Scotland were stopped on Thursday, but ScotRail said it expected to run services as scheduled from the start of Friday. | Trains across Scotland were stopped on Thursday, but ScotRail said it expected to run services as scheduled from the start of Friday. |
| The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has now lifted its flood warnings but the Met Office has yellow weather warnings in place for snow in northern Scotland until 12:00 GMT. | The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has now lifted its flood warnings but the Met Office has yellow weather warnings in place for snow in northern Scotland until 12:00 GMT. |
| There are also yellow warnings for ice in parts of Northern Ireland and north-west England, and wind on England's east coast. Yellow warnings mean "be aware". | There are also yellow warnings for ice in parts of Northern Ireland and north-west England, and wind on England's east coast. Yellow warnings mean "be aware". |
| High tides in parts of north Wales battered by storms hours earlier passed without further major flooding. | High tides in parts of north Wales battered by storms hours earlier passed without further major flooding. |
| Lifeboat crews from south Wales were drafted in to help colleagues in the north amid fears coastal areas could be hit for a second time in 24 hours. | Lifeboat crews from south Wales were drafted in to help colleagues in the north amid fears coastal areas could be hit for a second time in 24 hours. |
| But emergency services have reported a mostly quiet Friday morning so far. | But emergency services have reported a mostly quiet Friday morning so far. |
| Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said it had restored power to most customers after strong winds caused disruption to supplies. | Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said it had restored power to most customers after strong winds caused disruption to supplies. |
| BBC weather presenter Matt Taylor explained that "storm surges" begin when a rising area of low pressure takes pressure off the surface of the sea, allowing it to "bulge" upwards. | BBC weather presenter Matt Taylor explained that "storm surges" begin when a rising area of low pressure takes pressure off the surface of the sea, allowing it to "bulge" upwards. |
| "Then, as that pulls away, you get the very strong winds on the back edge of the low pressure and then that shoves that bulge of high sea levels down through the North Sea," he said. | "Then, as that pulls away, you get the very strong winds on the back edge of the low pressure and then that shoves that bulge of high sea levels down through the North Sea," he said. |
| Conditions across the UK are expected to have improved by the weekend. | Conditions across the UK are expected to have improved by the weekend. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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